If you stand at the right Canberra street corner on a
Wednesday or Thursday morning you might just catch me as I make my transition.
That’s the transition from Goofy Hands-On Dad to Serious Salaryman that is a
regular part of my morning routine as I venture the half-kilometre or so from
where I drop off my 11-month-old daughter at childcare to the corporate office
where I ply my trade.
The day starts pleasantly enough on these days. After the
usual morning activities at home, my daughter and I jump on the suburban bus
that putters down our street. I carry my daughter on board – no room for a pram
on a peak-hour service, anyhow – and position her on my lap so we can both sit
comfortably. No doubt to the annoyance of many of our fellow passengers I can’t
help but play up each little thing that happens as I whisper in my daughter’s
ear.
“We’re going around a cornerrrrrr,” I say, swaying sharply to
one side far beyond anything justified by centrifugal force. “Look, there’s a
man on a bi…